And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works;
5 sermons cite this verse
It's a place we receive encouragement from other people and give that encouragement to other people. That's why the writer of Hebrews 10 verses 24 and 25 says, and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. But isn't it interesting? As much as we need other people in the church, church attendance is at an all-time low. In the book, The Great Dechurching, authors Jim Davis and Michael Graham write that we are in the midst of the greatest single religious shift in American history. In the last 25 years, they say, 40 million adults have quit attending church. Don't let anybody tell you there's a revival in America. There's no revival. Maybe spots of interest, but consider this. In the last 25 years, more than 40 million adults have quit going to church. To put that number in perspective, more people than were saved in the great first awakening in American history, the second great awakening, and all of the Billy Graham crusades that have ever been conducted. 40 million people have just given up on church. You know the number one reason people quit going to church, this survey says? It's not because the pastor falls into moral corruption. It's not because of political division in the church, the main reason people quit going to church is they move. …
… No, encourage each other. Then in Hebrews 10.24, we're told, let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together as a habit of some is, but rather encouraging one another and so much more as we see the day of the Lord approaching. We can all use some encouragement. So let me say this to you. I don't know what you're going through right now in your life but I wanna say whatever you're going through, you're gonna get through it. You say, well Greg, how do you know? You're not on my shoes. No, I'm not. But I know what the Bible says. I think of the story of when Jesus said to his disciples, let's go to the other side, speaking of the Sea of Galilee. So they boarded their little boat, impredictably. A storm came, and it was a big storm, so bad that even the seasoned sailors despaired of life. But what did Jesus say? He said, let's go to the other side. He did not say, let's go to the middle of the Sea of Galilee and drown together, shall we? If He said that, I'd rather not board that boat, if you don't mind. He said, let's get over to the other side. He did not promise them calm seas, but he promised a safe arrival. He said that to every one of us. You say, well, what do you mean? I mean, ultimately, we're all going to get to the other side. …
… that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. How often do we need encouragement to fight sin? Daily. Encouragement is a core part of why the church gathers. Hebrews 10.24.25, classic verse, let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day approaching. That's just a very brief biblical survey that shows from the Old Testament to the New Testament, from the Psalms to the prophets to the Gospels, we see that the spirit of encouragement is a core part of the church. When someone is encouraged, it changes how we live. People who have an encouraged spirit, who feel built up, have significantly lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. They recover from stress better, have stronger immune systems, and respond better after surgeries. Having a spirit of encouragement within you actually changes your health. Now, sometimes when you think, oh gosh, this is a Christian sermon on encouragement, you can just think, oh gosh, the church is so full of cliche statements about encouragement, okay? And I want to start by telling you what encouragement is not, okay encouragement is not a general affirmation going up to someone who is not encouraged and saying to them be encouraged is not encouragement that's like saying uh you're horrible stop being horrible and they're like thank you for your help this has been really really instructive …
… Understand that belonging takes intentionality. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24 through 25, it says, And let us consider one another and stir up love and good works. And it says, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some, but exhorting one another as we see so much the more as you see the day approaching. Oftentimes when we use this scripture and hear this scripture, we use it in reference to coming to church. You need to get to church. We use it as a term of gathering to church. But it did not say forsake the gathering. It said do not forsake the assembling. Because there's a difference between gathering and assembling. It is possible to gather and never be assembled. We're gathered in this room today, but not everybody is assembled. Because gathering can happen, you know, casually. But watch this, assembling takes intentionality. See, that's why you can have a box of Legos and they're gathered in the box. but it'll say on the bottom, assembly required. …
… oh, like, okay, I got my small group with my guys every week, and I know that. But when we get together, the Bible says we're supposed to spur one another on to love and good works. And so to really use that time not to get comfortable again, but those people who really know us best, ask them to stretch us. And because we want to experience more of Jesus, it's not like this ascetic thing. And like, it's more like I know the more I step out in faith, the more I'm going to experience God. And I want to experience him. So you guys push me because my flesh will want to be comfortable. And my flesh will just want to sleep in and order room service and go another day. My flesh wants to just veg, stare at a movie, and just let my mind wander, you know? And so you need those people in your life to push you. Adam, you play a sport, though, that is so much about routine and reps and doing the same thing and getting and practicing over and over. …